BORDERLANDS – Xbox 360 Review
They say timing is everything and in an age where we have several AA titles released each week, it can be easy for a title to get buried even if it’s a great game. Thankfully Borderlands was released with the perfect launch date and is now a hit. The game takes part of the loot finding RPG elements from games like Diablo and mixes it with a FPS. Add in the 4 different classes and a story of riches and alien lore, this game is perhaps a contender for many of the top awards this year and certainly one of the best games for 4-player Co-Op to hit this year. Read the full Borderlands review to find out how Gearbox made this a great game.
Gameplay:
As far as the story goes, it’s not deep and a bit of a stretch. You are hunting fortune in a badland called Pandora. You soon find yourself with limited weapons, health and experience. A lone “Claptrap” is your guide and the story unfolds as you play. You hear a lot about a vault containing riches beyond belief. Your goal is to find the vault and the key. What makes Borderlands a blast to play is the 4-player Co-Op and the fact the game holds so many weapons, mods and shields for you to find.
Each class has their own strengths and weapons that best suit, but the game allows you to play each class as you want. The more players that help, the harder the game becomes but also increases the money and other goodies you will find. It even allows you to play through a second time keeping your level and weapons but is much harder. The real appeal is the Co-Op factor working together and sharing the weapons and chests you find. The game is a long one with several main and mini-missions to beat. There are also a ton of creatures to fight and a good variety taking the RPG element and have elemental powers. You will also find weapons that have elemental specials added. So it balances things out. As you dwell deeper into Pandora, new areas open up and with each new one holds a new challenge and new creatures to fight. Gearbox made the perfect run and gun FPS but was smart enough to add in the RPG angle to make it fresh for gamers. You won’t need to finish every mission to reach the end so players may want to play the second play through.
The game is fun in single-player but shines the most in Co-Op showing once again the need for more 4-player Co-Op titles on the Xbox 360. I spent hours with friends leveling them and myself up and each time we always found something new. That is also a big part of the charm of Borderlands. If you have already beaten the game, there is a brand new DLC due out next week. I am sure the DLC will provide more fun and surprises. The game came out on an off week and if it would have dropped a week earlier or a week later, I am not sure it would have had the success it did. Thankfully it dropped on the right week.
Control:
The controls are simple and fit the Xbox 360 perfectly while a few angles of the game like the points and where to place them may take time to learn, its straight forward. Aiming and getting around is a breeze I had no complaints or trouble with the controls at all.
Xbox Live:
The Co-Op is simple to use. Just create a single-player game and invite people or accept invites. Just make sure to load the correct character you want use before entering the game. For the host there is also a boot option. It will go back to single-player when you or your friends leave the game. Gearbox made the lobby simple but easy to use and even with multiple enemies the game plays smooth. Again to get the most out of Borderlands, it is made for Co-Op play. You can also help friends level-up and even if you just are starting you can join in. You will die a few times, but you also get a ton of experience points. No complaints or issues to speak of.
Graphics:
The game uses cel-shading and it looks great each character, weapon and the landscape is done well. The look is not too cartoonish but the game looks great. I really can’t see the game made any other way. No complaints at all with the graphics.
Audio:
The soundtrack rocks and the voice-over work are well done. Each weapon sounds unique and the characters all have their own unique characteristics and ways of alerting their presence. Overall all the audio in the game is top-notch and well done. They really tried to make the game sound great and succeeded.
Replay Value:
Borderlands has plenty of replay value since you must play each class to unlock all the achievements. Add in the 30 hours to beat the game and beyond to reach level 50 in a single class. Throw in helping friends and you won’t find yourself complaining the game is too short. They also threw in some neat Easter eggs to find some are harder to find but there are a few thrown in. Of course the replay value is going to increase for those wanting to play Co-Op.
Bottom Line
Overall Score: 9.4/10.0
Additional Comments
From the start of the game to the finale, Borderlands really shines and shows off how well they made it. It’s one of those games that it’s easy to spend hours playing and not become boring. This is why Borderlands gets my pick for Editor’s pick and it deserves it. I know there are a lot of great games out there this season, but this one really had me hooked. If you have not picked up a copy yet, go out and get it you won’t regret it!
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Tagged with: Games • gaming/consoles • Xbox 360 • Xbox Live
Filed under: Reviews • Xbox 360 • Xbox Live
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